PalenqueBob

Readers' poll
Every week i get e-mail from TimeOut London that has their weekly poll in it (the real one this time!) and ask experts for help to cast an educated vote:

READERS POLL
Big Ben has been silent due to maintenance. What other aspect of London life would you like silenced?

A) Garbled tube announcements
B) Racist cabbies
C) Nick Ferrari
D) WRITE IN YOUR CHOICE:

Need to know more about Nick Ferrari???

guess now i write in "Mind the Gap" announcements at every Tube stop - i wonder if they didn't blare this at any stop if folks would fall into tracks?

Your choice?

flanneruk

Write in moronmusic. And not just in London.

In fact there's a thread someone might suggest about the most inane place they've discovered for piped music. I'm torn between these three places I've stumbled over it lately:

- in the outside area of a reasonably toney hotel on the shores of Lake Tahoe that promoted itself as close to nature
- in my doctor's waiting room (no longer though, after a few of my pithy remarks)
- next to the counter in Boots that sold blood pressure monitors.

PalenqueBob

we call it elevator music and that's one place you can't escape it

flanneruk

And there's another thread. Least appropriate term.

Can you think of anything that elevates the spirit less than moronmusic?

fnarf999

Vladimir Nabokov hated two things above all else: "cruelty and soft music". I think if he'd lived until today he'd be glad to have the SOFT music back; the music in stores and restaurants and elevators is likely to be ear-splitting these days. I guess I don't mind it so much in a clothing shop aimed at young people, but it's a bit much in a nice restaurant -- especially when you can also hear the raucous (and usually better) music the cooks are playing in the back.

I actually have a couple of CDs of grocery store music from the 50s and 60s, when it was peppy and bright. Sounds a heck of a lot better than these modern pop grunge warblers.

PalenqueBob

Obnoxious music?

I'd ban bagpipes from London and all other European streets.

the wailing of an oft not very accomplished Scott in a dress with his (always his it seems) cup out for change - just can't stand those pipers - especially in a place like paris

and they've infested Europe - like the book on Ireland i read that talked about the history of the bags - they were invented in Ireland who then gave it to the Scotts, who never got the joke!

PalenqueBob

Hadn't realized yesterday was a Bank Holiday in England so my valued opinons were no doubt at the Notting Hill Carnival or on the beach or in a pub in Margate

so one more plea for opinions on how to cast my potentially deciding vote?

Help

audere_est_facere

London underground play classical music at Ravenscourt Park station to deter youths from gathering - it works.

And for the OP: I'd silence mobile phones on public transport.